


Evolution

by amfiguree



Category: Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-09 01:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amfiguree/pseuds/amfiguree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the prompt "painting your fingernails fire engine red".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Evolution

The changes start out small.   
  
Wardrobe’s first: one day AJ’s in normal clothes, the next he’s wearing checkered pants that should be outlawed by the fashion police.  
  
Then it’s the shift in his taste in music, from eclectic/jazz to disco.  
  
Next comes the semi-secretive phone calls he begins making (and receiving).  
  
The most recent change comes more subtly, though; it’s such an AJ thing to do that no one really notices when, exactly, he starts painting his fingernails. Strangely enough, it’s Nick who notices, one morning when AJ grabs his wrist and drags him over to Kevin’s room to apologize for a petty fight both of them are stubbornly refusing to get over.   
  
“Dude,” Nick says, just before AJ shoves him against Kevin’s door. “Black nails? Seriously?”  
  
“Did them myself,” AJ replies, with a proud smirk.  
  
But then Kevin’s opening the door and AJ pushes Nick all the way in before he can ask any more.  
  
  
“You know,” Howie begins, conversationally, as he enters AJ’s room, “if you ever need to talk, we’re here for you.”  
  
“Thanks,” AJ replies, on autopilot, looking up from the re-run of I Love Lucy he’d been watching. He raises an eyebrow when Howie doesn’t move. “Oh and hey, smart move, you waltzing in here. I mean, why bother knocking? Just open the door and come right in. Never mind the fact that I might have been jerking off butt naked, right?”  
  
Howie skillfully ignores AJ’s sarcasm, settling himself on the edge of AJ’s bed. He’s silent for a moment, before he grabs the remote and mutes the television. “You’re doing this for you, right?”  
  
The protest on AJ’s lips dies in favor of, “what?”  
  
“I mean,” Howie starts, reaching for AJ’s hand and squeezing it. “We love you. Rehab didn’t change that.”  
  
AJ’s staring at Howie like he’s grown a third head. “Uh, thanks D.”  
  
Howie nods, then makes like he’s going to stand. After a second of hesitation, he sits back down again. “Sure, you know, we didn’t like the person you became, but—but now you’re Alex again. You don’t have to do all this.”  
  
“Howie,” AJ says, shaking his head. “I repeat: What?”  
  
Lifting AJ’s hand, Howie looks pointedly at his fingernails. “This. Changing yourself. We love you, Alex. Just the way you are.”  
  
AJ just stares. Then he starts laughing.  
  
  
For a while, AJ’s so caught up in doing his nails that there doesn’t seem to be anything else he’s doing, and Brian almost starts to feel thankful for the polish.  
  
Then the colors start, and Brian’s not so sure.  
  
“Red?”  
  
AJ shrugs, flipping through his magazine, completely unruffled, even when Brian grabs one of his hands and begins waving it around.   
  
“ _Red_?”  
  
“I like it,” AJ replies. “Now can you give me back my hand? I need to turn the page.”  
  
Brian doesn’t let go off AJ’s hand. Instead, he reaches over and turns the page for AJ. “I like red too, Aje, but this is fire engine red!”  
  
“I realize that, Bri,” AJ says calmly, eyes never leaving his magazine. “I like it.”  
  
“Fine,” Brian says, after a moment. “Why did you laugh at Howie?”  
  
AJ sighs and sits up, finally putting his magazine down and pulling his hand out of Brian’s. “When?”  
  
Brian refuses to be deterred by obvious exasperation. “When he asked you why you’re doing your nails.”  
  
AJ takes a while to formulate his answer, but patience is one of Brian’s strongest, and best hidden, qualities.   
  
At length, AJ says, “look, I love you guys, and I appreciate the fact that you love me too, even after the shit I’ve put you through. But this?” AJ lifts his hand and waves it around. “This is all me.”  
  
Brian tries not to be too drawn by the movement of fire engine red fingernails, but it’s difficult to concentrate on anything but. Eventually, though, he nods. “Okay. But if you ever need to talk—”  
  
“I know the drill,” AJ interrupts, but his smile is fond and he lets Brian muss up his hair on his way out.  
  
  
Now, Brian wasn’t lying about being there when AJ needed to talk. Neither was Kevin. But, he contemplates, he might have been wrong about that.  
  
“So, yeah,” AJ’s wrapping up his speech when Kevin snaps back to attention. “You guys keep saying I’m acting weird and stuff, so. I thought I should let you know why.”  
  
There’s silence for a minute after AJ’s confession, and he stands, defiant as always, hands jammed deep in his jean pockets, head tilted _just_ so.  
  
Nick breaks the silence first. “So _now_ we can know? Why the fuck didn’t you say anything before?”  
  
“Well, the thought that my groupmates might not take a second blow too well did cross my mind,” AJ deadpans, folding his arms.  
  
Nick snorts derisively, “Yeah, ‘cause before this, it was a real secret that you’re bi.”  
  
Howie intervenes before the scene turns ugly. “How long?”  
  
“I don’t know, eight months?” AJ replies, after a long glare at Nick.  
  
“But why all the changes?” Brian asks, honestly perplexed. “If he loves you—”  
  
“Whoa,” AJ interjects. “Hold up. We’re not that far along.”  
  
The other boys snort.  
  
“So I like his style!” AJ says. His bandmates give him a Look and he rolls his eyes. “Okay, and his taste in music.” Another Look. “And the sound of his voice.” Eyebrows are raised. “And his manicures, all right! All right! I do! That doesn’t mean you cue wedding bells!”  
  
“Suuuuuure.” Someone – AJ’s guessing Nick – mutters under his breath.  
  
But Kevin’s draped an arm around his shoulders before he can pick another fight, pulling him away. He looks down at AJ seriously once they’re out of hearing range. “Does he make you happy?”  
  
AJ considers this for a moment, then shrugs with a lopsided little smile. “Yeah.”  
  
“Then it’s fine by me.” Kevin says, with a nod. “So. Chasez, huh?”  
  
“Yeah,” AJ repeats, and his smile grows a little warmer.


End file.
